Alberta’s general farm organization is tottering on the brink of bankruptcy unless it can attract more members, says a group spokesperson.
“We’re going to go broke if we don’t get more members,” said Adam Campbell of Rosalind, Wild Rose Agricultural Producers’ second vice-president.
“The future of our organization is in jeopardy.”
Campbell said he is helping to organize a fall membership drive to increase membership, but more importantly to increase revenue.
“This membership is crucially important.”
Wild Rose president Neil Wagstaff said the organization’s limited funds forced it to cancel a recent trip to Ottawa to attend a Canadian Federation of Agriculture board meeting and a specially organized lobby session with members of Parliament.
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CFA officials organized interviews with MPs and government officials to allow each province to discuss their concerns.
During an evening reception, other province’s farm organizations had a chance to chat with finance minister Paul Martin, government House leader Don Boudria, Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark and other members.
“Time and time again we haven’t been able to represent Alberta farmers, and Alberta farmers are the losers,” Wagstaff said.
Well-funded Ontario and Quebec farm organizations often dominate these discussions, he added.
While Alberta farmers may not see Wild Rose as an important farm organization, federal officials do.
During its western swing through the Prairies this summer, the prime minister’s Special Task Force on Agriculture chose the group as the one it felt best represented Alberta farmers. The two groups got together twice to discuss Alberta farmer concerns.
“The sad thing is we feel we represent the interests of all Alberta farmers and only a small portion of the farmers support us,” said Wagstaff, of Elnora.
Membership hovers around 1,000 farm units. The group hopes a Nov. 9 membership day in Red Deer will attract another 500 farm memberships.
Wagstaff doesn’t understand why farmers don’t see their membership as a key farm expense.
He recently noticed a neighbour’s name on a non-renewal list.
When Wagstaff asked his neighbour why he hadn’t renewed, the neighbor told him to come on over and he’d write a cheque.
“If I spend half a day, I’ll get a membership,” Wagstaff said.
“History has told us you have to take that time,” but he doesn’t know how long the key 30 or 40 people who visit their neighbours each fall to collect memberships will be willing or able to keep going.
“Farmers see it as a value, they just don’t take out a membership on their own. They really have to be approached and that’s the frustration.”
Unlike other farm organizations with government funding or a commodity checkoff, Wild Rose directors are not paid an honorarium for days spent on organization work. They’re even asked not to submit expenses to help out the organization.
“We’re operating on bare bones.”
In the past three years, Wild Rose has operated a deficit budget, dipping into its meagre savings to hire office staff, conduct lobbying and publish newsletters. Staff has been reduced to one.
Four years ago it told the Canadian Federation of Agriculture it could no longer afford the $60,000 yearly membership fee. It now pays a $2,625 annual associate membership fee.
Four years ago Wild Rose sold its Edmonton office building, once owned by its predecessor, Unifarm. The $80,000 profit has slowly been used up until there is only $10,000 left.
“Our reserves are depleted,” Wagstaff said.
He doesn’t want to think what will happen in the next few months if the membership drive is not successful.
“If we don’t get some membership growth prior to January, we have to make some tough decision how we can operate.
“We don’t want to reach that point if we can help it.”
